2014 WORLD CUP - ARGENTINA - KEY PLAYER - ‪LIONEL MESSI - PROFILE

Lionel Andrés Messi; born 24 June 1987, is an Argentine footballer who plays as a forward for Spanish club FC Barcelona and the Argentina national team. He serves as the captain of his country's national football team.

By the age of 21, Messi had received Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player of the Year nominations. The following year, in 2009, he won his first Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player of the Year awards. 

1 Jul 2014
2014 WORLD CUP - USA - KEY PLAYER - ‪JERMAINE JONES - PROFILE

Jermaine Junior Jones, born 3 November 1981, is a German-American footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Turkish club Beşiktaş. He has previously played for Eintracht Frankfurt, Bayer Leverkusen, Blackburn Rovers and Schalke 04. He was born in Germany and represented them at U21 and senior level.

1 Jul 2014
NATIONAL TEAM - NIGERIA - COACH - STEPHEN KESHI RESIGNS AFTER EXIT

He becomes the sixth manager to leave his job during the World Cup, following the departures of Honduras's Luis Suarez, Iran's Carlos Queiroz, Japan's Alberto Zaccheroni, Italy's Cesare Prandelli and Ivory Coast's Sabri Lamouchi.

Keshi, who captained Nigeria at the 1994 World Cup finals, was previously in charge of Mali and Togo.

1 Jul 2014
2014 WORLD CUP - DAY 18 - LAST SIXTEEN - FRANCE vs NIGERIA 2:0

LAST SIXTEEN
30th June 2014

France vs Nigeria 2:0

30 Jun 2014
2014 WORLD CUP - DAY 18 - LAST SIXTEEN - GERMANY vs ALGERIA 2:1

LAST SIXTEEN
30th June 2014

Germany vs Algeria 2:1

30 Jun 2014
2014 WORLD CUP - GERMANY - KEY PLAYER - THOMAS MUELLER‬ - PROFILE

Müller's role can be described as an attacking all-rounder, a player able to play in a variety of forward positions. He can play in any of the attacking midfield roles but usually plays in the center for Bayern Munich, and on the right for Germany.

He has been used as an out-and-out striker on occasion. Müller has been praised for his maturity, pace, technique, awareness and positioning.

30 Jun 2014
2014 WORLD CUP - FRANCE - KEY PLAYER - ‪KARIM BENZEMA - PROFILE

He has been named French Player of the Year twice for his performances in 2011 and 2012. Benzema is a former French youth international and has represented his nation from under-17 level onwards. 

Benzema has earned over 65 caps and represented France at three major international tournaments; the 2008 and 2012 editions of the UEFA European Football Championship and the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

30 Jun 2014
2014 WORLD CUP - DAY 17 - LAST SIXTEEN - NETHERLANDS VS MEXICO 2:1

LAST SIXTEEN
29th June 2014

Netherlands vs Mexico 2:1

Lucky dutchmen!

29 Jun 2014
2014 WORLD CUP - DAY 17 - LAST SIXTEEN - COSTA RICA VS GREECE 5:4 - win on penalties

LAST SIXTEEN
29th June 2014

Costa Rica vs Greece 5:4

Costa Rica through on penalties.

29 Jun 2014
2014 WORLD CUP - MEXICO - KEY PLAYER - ‪Giovani dos Santos‬ - PROFILE

Giovani dos Santos‬ was born in Monterrey, Nuevo León, Giovani joined FC Barcelona's academy of La Masia at the age of eleven and played for Barcelona's Juvenil A category where he helped his team to make a comeback in the league and win the regional title. 

This title allowed them to participate in the Youth Copa del Rey, where they faced other regional champions, among them their historic arch-rivals, Real Madrid. 

29 Jun 2014

African Champions League 2016 - Group Stage - 1st matches - all results

African Champions League 2016
Group Stage
1st matches

Group A
Zesco United vs Al Ahly 3:2 
Asec Mimosas vs Wydad Casablanca 0:1 

Group B
Entente Setif vs Mamelodi Sundowns 0:2 
Enyimba vs Zamalek 0:1 


Three of the four away teams secured victories in the opening round of African Champions League group games

Egyptian club Zamalek put their domestic disappointment behind them to open their African Champions League group campaign on Sunday with a 1:0 victory away to Enyimba of Nigeria.

Zamalek, keen to seek consolation for their slip in the Egyptian league, were one of three African sides to win their away group games at the weekend.

Mamelodi Sundowns were 2:0 winners at Entente Setif, whilst in Group A Wydad Casablanca won 1:0 at Asec Mimosas in Ivory Coast, as Zesco United shocked Al Ahly with a 3:2 home win in Zambia.

Two-times African champions Enyimba hosted Zamalek in Port Harcourt, with the Egyptians looking to win a sixth African Champions League crown.

Zamalek travelled to Nigeria with a new coach in Mohamed Helmy after former Scotland coach Alex McLeish parted ways with the Cairo giants after just 65 days.

They secured a 1:0 win over the Nigerian side thanks to an 8th minute goal from Basem Morsi and withstood pressure from the hosts to hold on for the victory.

On Saturday night, South African champions Mamelodi Sundowns began their Group B campaign with a 2:0 win away to Algeria's Entente Setif, in a match which was interrupted by crowd disturbance.

Mamelodi Sundowns striker Khama Billiat was named South Africa's player of the season last month

Sundowns made the most of their second chance in the competition, after being allowed back in following the disqualification of AS Vita Club.

Goals from Tiyani Mabunda and Zimbabwe's Khama Billiat sealed their Group B victory over the 2014 African champions.

On a bitterly disappointing night for the home side, the supporters failed to hide their frustration in the Setif stadium.

As the final whistle approached, missiles were thrown from the stands, with the referee stopping the game.

Entente Setif must wait to find out if they will face sanctions from the Confederation of African Football following the crowd trouble.

Also on Saturday, Egyptian giants Al Ahly returned to the group stage of the Champions League for the first time in two years with a shock 3:2 defeat away to Zambia's Zesco United.

Ahly, the eight-time winners coached by former Tottenham manager Martin Jol, were determined to make up for recent disappointments in 
Africa's premier club competition.

But Zesco United, who have never got beyond the group stage, upset the Red Devils with a famous home victory in Ndola.

Midfielder John Chingandu put the Zambian side ahead with a goal after 27 minutes, only for Ahly to equalise three minutes later through Ghana striker John Antwi.

It took just five minutes of the second half for the hosts to regain the lead, as Clatous Chama scored after 50 minutes and then again after 56 to give the Zambians a 3:1 lead.

Ahly tried to claw their way back in, and they were rewarded with another Antwi goal after 67 minutes.

Despite a nervous finale, the hosts held on to upset the Egyptians and go top of the standings.

In the other Group A match, Wydad Casablanca, who knocked out the defending champions TP Mazembe in the play-off round, carried on their good form by winning 1:0 away to Asec Mimosas of Ivory Coast in their opener.

The Moroccans, who were runners-up the last time they competed in the competition in 2011, secured their victory thanks to a 39th minute goal from Salah Eddine Saidi.

19 Jun 2016
(BBC Sport UK)

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